Missouri is heading into one of college football’s loudest gimmicks with its eyes open.
On Saturday night in Starkville, Mississippi State is planning a world record attempt for the “most cowbells ringing simultaneously” when it hosts the Tigers, and Mizzou is already trying to harden itself against the noise. According to linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez, the Tigers have brought cowbells into pregame practices, with staff members walking around and ringing them in the players’ ears.
How many? Rodriguez made it sound like plenty.
“I mean, just about every staff member we’ve got,” Rodriguez said.
Mississippi State enters the matchup at 3-0 and 1-0 in the SEC after beating South Carolina on the road this past Saturday behind another strong outing from sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor, one of the breakout players of the young season. The Bulldogs are No. 2 nationally in yards per game at 544.7. They were left out of the updated Coaches Poll, but landed at No. 24 in the AP Poll.
Missouri, meanwhile, is 3-0 and ranked No. 21 in the Coaches Poll and No. 19 in the AP rankings, setting up a ranked road test for the Tigers. Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m. Saturday under the lights in Starkville.
Not every Missouri player is dreading the sound. Left tackle Cayden Green called the atmosphere exciting and said the noise is part of what makes the venue stand out.
“They're pretty loud. I actually think it's pretty cool,” Green said.
“It makes the stadium a lot louder, so it'll be exciting to play on the road there. I know how rocking that place is going to be.
They're good this year, so I'm excited.”
Austin Simmons, who used to play for Ole Miss and has already spent time on the other side of the cowbell rivalry, was less charitable.
“They’re my old rival in the past, and, honestly, it grows to be annoying,” Simmons said. “And I hate hearing this whole thing about the cowbell thing. So, it's gonna be pretty exciting walking into this whole environment.”
For Missouri, the plan this week is simple: get used to the racket. For Chris Graves Jr., a transfer from Ole Miss, the answer is even simpler.
“You don't really have to listen to it if you silence it,” said Mizzou corner Chris Graves Jr., who also transferred to the Tigers from Ole Miss. “That’s kind of my mentality.”
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